A typical wireless communication system comprises a plurality of wireless communications devices exchanging data with each other. In some wireless communication systems, for example, infrastructure networks, the system may further comprise a wireless base station for managing communications between the wireless communications devices. In other words, each intra-system communication would be exchanged via the wireless base station. In other wireless communication systems, for example, mesh networks and ad hoc wireless networks, the wireless base station may be omitted, i.e. the wireless communications devices may communicate directly with each other.
In certain high frequencies, such as the Extremely High Frequency (EHF) band, i.e. 30 to 300 GHz, a communication system operating at this band may have some drawbacks. For example, transmission of the signals over coaxial cable may incur large attenuation effects. In these applications, an inline amplifier may be required to compensate for this attenuation. Moreover, in applications where RF devices are used, the size, weight, and power (SWaP) of the components may increase to undesirable levels. Moreover, downstream receiver processing, such as downconverting, and signal addressing may be difficult. In particular, the linearity of the downstream processing may become poor.
One approach to these drawbacks in EHF communication systems may comprise the use of optical components for processing components. An advantage of such systems may comprise the ability to transmit high frequency signals from a remote location without the degradation of the signal incumbent in RF applications.
For example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,651 to Logan, Jr., an EHF communication system comprises a remote antenna station, a transmitter/receiver station, and an optical fiber coupling the stations together. These stations comprise photodiodes for converting the transmitted optical signal to an electrical signal, and lasers paired with optical modulators for converting the received EHF signal to an optical signal.
Nevertheless, optical applications such as this may be subject to certain drawbacks. For example, the systems may be subject to chromatic dispersion-induced signal fading. In particular, optical heterodyne approaches may be limited by phase noise of laser sources.